Entertainment

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights Drama, Plus 5 Most Controversial Hollywood Castings

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48s ago

Oct 11, 2024 / 858 Views

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie are all set to join forces for Emerald Fennell’s big screen adaptation of Wuthering Heights — a move that has drawn criticisms from fans and critics alike. But this isn’t the first time the internet has corralled to voice their discontent with the choice of actors for a book they’ve read and loved. As scrutiny around the topic continues to mount, we go back in time to look at some of the most controversial Hollywood castings to date.

But first, let’s unpack the drama surrounding the casting for Wuthering Heights that is set to star Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as leads. And why, despite their impressive accolades, fans have called out the choice of actors, complaining that they do not fit into the emotionally complex roles of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

The Wuthering Heights controversy

If you haven’t already heard, another cinematic rendition of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is underway, this time through the lens of Oscar-winning filMMAker Emerald Fennell. While it’s a delight to see talented directors give their own fresh spin to the classic novel, the news of the on-screen adaptation has not been received well.

In the age of BookTok and #bookstagram, readers have become increasingly sensitive about who represents their favourite book characters on-screen. Fans go so far as to create spitting AI images of the fictional personas based on descriptions mentioned in the book. In such a case, if a fair-skinned Jacob Elordi gets picked to represent Heathcliff, who has explicitly dark complexion and is of Romani descent in the book, things are bound to boil over. Here’s what a film critic from The Independent had to say:

did anyone actually read the book before deciding this https://t.co/cvLZkkTg2f
— Clarisse Loughrey (@clarisselou) September 23, 2024

Outside the accusations of whitewashing, the response overall has been anything but positive, with fans calling the cast “bizarre” and “terrible” on social media. There’s also a radical age difference between Margot Robbie (34) and the 1847 novel’s female protagonist, Catherine Earnshaw (19).

no hate to margot robbie and jacob elordi but neither of them have enough Psychologically Tortured vibes to play cathy and heathcliff. like a wuthering heights adaptation simply needs actors who are weirder
— 🔪 (@timewrinkles) September 23, 2024

The controversy has also brought to light the whitewashing surrounding previous adaptations. After featuring white actors such as Tom Hardy and Ralph Fiennes in the role of Heathcliff, the casting of Jacob Elordi proves that filMMAkers haven’t learned much from the past and the scope for representation is still very limited in Hollywood. However, this isn’t the only time the Entertainment industry has been criticised for their casting choices in specific roles. Below, we discuss the most controversial casting decisions in Hollywood.

Lights, camera, drama!

Most controversial Hollywood castings

It Ends With Us (2024)

If you were under the impression that the controversy surrounding It Ends With Us started during its August premiere, you are in for a surprise. In 2023, fans of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling book were taken aback by a flurry of behind-the-scenes photos of Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar. The pictures sparked immediate backlash from fans who believed the actors were “too old” for their respective roles. Despite the movie amassing over USD 200 million at the global box office, the high-profile adaptation continues to remain plagued with cast feuds and disappointment from fans months after its release.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Given the global appeal of both the actors, the casting choice was great for drawing the interest of people towards the film. However, the internet is of the opinion that a stronger female lead would have made for a much better Snow White in an action movie of this stature. Kristen Stewart was called out for her expressionless acting against the roguish performance of Chris Hemsworth, who seemed like a natural. The Charlie’s Angels actor was also left out of the 2016 sequel, not because of her stoic performance in the prequel, but owing to her involvement in a high-profile affair with the franchise’s director, Rupert Sanders.

Gangs of New York (2002)

If you’re wondering what a great actor like Cameron Diaz is doing on our list of most controversial Hollywood castings, we’ve got you covered. It so happens that despite being a stellar performer, Diaz was not one of the best choices for the 2002 Martin Scorsese movie, Gangs of New York. Reason? The actress felt out of place, with her performance being either too much or too little. Her Irish-American accent also proved to be weirdly distracting. “She’s not bad, but can’t match (her co-stars) Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day Lewis,” one Redditor wrote.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

To nobody’s surprise, Jake Gyllenhaal’s casting as a character of Middle-Eastern descent was not well received. In a conversation with the Telegraph, independent filMMAker Jehanzeb Dar said: “This part really needed to go to someone who’s Persian. It’s not only insulting to Persians, it’s also insulting to white people. It’s saying white people can’t enjoy movies unless the protagonist is white.” The movie ended up becoming a talking point in the ever-expanding list of whitewashing accusations in Hollywood.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

When Jared Leto appeared in the 2013 drama as a transgender woman, viewers expressed their concerns in more ways than one. Steve Friess of TIME magazine called out the cisgender actor for his comedic and exaggerated depiction of Rayon, highlighting that it was a disservice to the transgender community. As reported by The Guardian, the controversy spiralled out of control when Leto was “hackled” by transgender activists who accused him of ‘trans-misogyny’ at a film festival.